I tell him that someone anonymously donated $500 to his Clean Water for Christmas project during the night’s sleep. He falls to the floor in shock and disbelief.

smiles. tears. lots of hugs.

overwhelming feelings of gratitude and love.

That $500? Will bring 25 more people safe drinking water, but oh so much more. TWENTY-FIVE children will have a greater chance at life. They will have the opportunity to grow and learn and pass on love and generosity. It’s so much more than just money. It’s LIFE. That’s like the twins’ entire classroom of 3rd graders being given a brighter future.

The sky is a little bit more blue today.

The sun a little bit warmer.

Thank you, secret water angel. Thank you.

Thanks to all of you for every kind word shared, every dollar donated, and every ounce of encouragement to my little boy. Our hearts are growing bigger by the day, and there are no words that can express our gratitude.

*We are spending the long weekend with my husband at work. I know I’ve said this before, but it’s a little like a mini-vacation for me, albeit a white-trash mini-vacay. I don’t have to worry about cooking or cleaning or the 10 million things I should be doing. I get some work done here and there as I fight with the totally-inadequate internet connection, but we have a whole lot of this:

*We also launched a new project he is working on to raise more money! Looking for Christmas ideas? Make a donation to BB’s charity: water campaign in your certain someone’s name! Bridger will hand-draw and send a Christmas (or holiday, or whatever) card for that person, informing them of your gift, as well as send you a personal, hand-made card! Who knows? They may be worth millions some day!

*My husband took the time to answer many of my questions on how drilling operations work and how they take many precautions to make sure that our water supply here isn’t in any danger of being contaminated by the whole process. Knowing how I need to see things to understand, he even drew me diagrams. How sweet is that? He even had a pot of coffee waiting for me when I woke up this morning!

*Someone decided to play a little trick on me the other morning. These nasty grubs were waiting on my beloved aeropress when I went to make my morning brew. This was AFTER I had cleaned up a crap-tastrophe left for me from one of the lovely animals, so I already had the heebie jeebies. I screamed and demanded the twins come remove them. Being the manly men that they are, they refused to touch the critters. I poked them and discovered they were RUBBER. Funny.

*This little guy has had his first-ever choir performance. I just die every time he puts on his uniform. LOVE.

1. What is it about the cooler weather that makes me want to hole up in my house and do absolutely nothing except lounge around in my sweatpants and play on my computer and watch movies with the kids? I ventured out with the youngsters to the public library and Target, but the entire time I couldn’t wait to get home to put yoga pants on.

2. I found these awesome steals the other day in the clearance section of a furniture store here in town.

Now we have been re-doing our entire main floor and finally getting to all those projects we had been putting off. There must be something magical about a corduroy chair?? And why is corduroy so hard for me to spell?

3. You heard me blogging, tweeting, and facebooking about Bridger’s Clean Water for Christmas campaign at the end of last year. He has decided to embark on this campaign again this year and will be starting up at the end of the month. But now, his twin brother, Ashton, has started his own campaign. His goal is simply to raise $600. He is currently at $75. If you can help him out, it would make his day {and the people in need of water!}. Donate here: http://mycharitywater.org/fishes

4. I have found my blonde self again. It feels good.

5. Remember this spider?

Well, we had him and his 20 closest friends living all over our front porch. Until yesterday. There was the cutest little gray and yellow bird hanging out on the post, and the kids and I were oohing-and-ahhing over him. All of a sudden he flew up and snatched one of those huge-ass monstrosity spider-things out of it’s web. Then proceeded to eat the whole damn thing, even though it was bigger than his head. He wasn’t done there. We watched as he plucked Billy Bob Joe out of his web and flew off with him, presumably to share with a friend.

6. I love that my boys enjoy keeping me company on my Couch-to-5K training runs. Today, it was cold, rainy, and windy, but they happily hopped on their bikes and pedaled away beside me. I should also mention that tomorrow I start Week 5, and I am scared. My calves are screaming at the mere thought of it.

the kids were all gathered around the piano (keyboard) this afternoon and somehow they came upon the subject of children and how many they would have when they get older. you know, because it always works out this way.

Kane will have four.

Ashton will have three.

Averie will have four or five.

Bridger? he will have ten. said with a straight face, completely serious, not blinking an eye as if this was anything out of the ordinary. he decided he will only be comfortable if he has at least that many, and that he will adopt many from Africa. also? he will have a dog or cat for every two children.

be still, my heart.

to think that these little children came from a woman who had once thought she would never want ANY kids. how i love these little people.